


Prelude to a Disaster

by Julandran



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-24
Updated: 2014-09-24
Packaged: 2018-02-18 16:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2354894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julandran/pseuds/Julandran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver asks Felicity on a date.</p>
<p>(My best guess at their conversation, based on the CW teaser trailer from SDCC and the iTunes sneak peek posted 24 Sep. 2014. I wanted to get this up before the episode airs and it gets canon-balled.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude to a Disaster

“Felicity?”

She paused halfway across the parking lot, looking back at Oliver as she settled her purse strap on her shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to go on a date?”

She blinked at him. A tiny amused smile spread across her lips. She nodded.

“Yes. Yes, I would,” she replied drily as she turned to face him. “Could you introduce me to someone nice and guarantee a crime-free evening? ’Cause otherwise, it doesn’t seem likely to happen.”

Felicity immediately regretted her teasing as Oliver’s hopeful expression fell.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean to make it sound so dire. You know I love the work we do. I wouldn’t trade you guys for some random date.”

“No, I...” He frowned, taking a deep breath to regroup. “I meant _with me_. Will you go on a date with me?”

The cautious light in his eyes made her pause. She blinked rapidly as her brain caught up to her ears. He couldn’t be asking what it sounded like he was asking.

“Do we need a cover for something? Another charity auction or underground casino or...?”

“No.” His voice took on a slightly desperate tone. “Just... a date. You and me. Dinner. Somewhere that isn’t here or the office.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

She considered him for a long moment. He seemed hesitant, maybe even anxious.

“Why?”

“‘Why’? Because...” Oliver shook his head with a sigh. “Because I’m tired of giving up everything for the sake of the mission. Because I’m tired of being scared. Because you’re an amazing woman, and I couldn’t have been more _wrong_ when I said that it would be better not to be with the person I... care about.”

He was nervous, she finally realized, which was weird and wrong, but also shockingly adorable and kind of flattering when she thought about it. There wasn’t much that made Oliver Queen genuinely nervous these days.

“Ask me again,” she prompted. He took a fortifying breath.

“Felicity, would you like to go to dinner with me?”

“Yes.”

“Yes?” The restrained happiness that spread over his face pulled at her heartstrings. She couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Yes. But nothing _too_ fancy. I mean, nicer than Big Belly, obviously, but I don’t want to have to worry about using forks in the wrong order or...” She cast about for other potential high society faux pas.

“Felicity?”

The way he said her name was always different, always laden with meaning. This time it was gentle, full of amusement and affection. She blinked up at him.

“Mm-hm?”

“I promise it won’t be too fancy.” He looked off to the side and continued with a self-deprecating, “I can’t actually _afford_ ‘too fancy’ right now, so...”

She grimaced and ducked her head.

“Right. Sorry. It doesn’t have to be–”

“I can afford a little fancy,” he assured her, his voice taking on the softer tone he reserved for his most sincere sentiments. “You deserve fancy.”

Felicity blushed and bit her lower lip to hold back a grin. She nodded in acquiescence.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

The smile that lit up his face was irresistible.

“Yeah.”

“Tomorrow night?”

She paused to check her mental calendar.

“Sure.”

The triumphant “yes” Oliver whispered as he rocked back on his heels made her laugh.

This was really happening. This was going to be good.


End file.
